Tips on writing a research proposal

(original version: Thomas Geers)
(revised version: Victor Bright, Jan. 2008)
Overview

1. Your primary goal is to secure research funding to do work that interests you.
2. You especially seek long-term, continuous funding, which provides stability and visibility.
3. There are two types of proposals, solicited and unsolicited; either type must be written well, staying on target and exhibiting a solid command of the language.

Solicited Technical Proposal

1. A funding organization puts out a Request for Proposals (RFP), Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), or equivalent solicitation.
2. Proposers must respond to the solicitation by the proposal deadline.
3. The proposal must respond directly to the research tasks delineated in the soli-citation; the proposed tasks are listed in the proposal’s Statement of Work.
4. Sometimes, a single investigator can cover all the tasks.
5. Often, however, the principal investigator (PI) must work with co-investigators to cover all of the mandated and/or desirable tasks; only investigators needed to accomplish the proposed tasks should be included.
6. The proposal should parrot the vocabulary and format of the solicitation.
7. The proposal should exude expertise (especially through previous proposer accomplishments) in the task areas.
8. The proposal should emphasize creativity and uniqueness in addressing the tasks; novel aspects should be explicitly identified.
9. The proposal should reflect the evaluation criteria stated in the solicitation.
10. The proposal must convince the reader that the proposed work can be accomplished within schedule and budget (enthusiasm vs. realism); often, a proposed project schedule, including milestones, is required.    

Unsolicited Technical Proposal

1.  A researcher submits a proposal to a funding organization, seeking support for a wonderful new research endeavor; it’s important to have a personal contact.
2. There is typically no proposal deadline, but there may be a limited window of opportunity (budget window, topic window).
3. The proposal must show strong connections between the proposed research and the (immediate) needs of the funding organization and/or its clients (relevance).
4. Sometimes, the proposal requires only a single investigator; often, however, multiple investigators are required.
5. The proposal must be written in language the educated professional (but not necessarily an expert on the topic) can understand.
6. The proposal should exude expertise (especially through previous proposer accomplishments) in the proposed task areas.
7. The proposal should emphasize creativity and uniqueness in addressing the proposed tasks; novel aspects should be explicitly identified.
8. The proposal must convince the reader that the proposed work can be accomplished within schedule and budget (enthusiasm vs. realism); a proposed project schedule, including milestones, is desirable.

Cost Proposal

1. There are two types of contract: cost plus fixed fee and fixed price; a grant is the first of these with no fee.
2. The PI prepares a rough budget, which his/her contracting office uses to create the official cost proposal; the PI does not have contracting authority.
3. Usually, the PI has a rough idea of the funding organization’s cost target, which must be respected; iteration is usually required to meet the target.
4. The cost proposal covers the following items, year by year:    

 
Also see presentation: “Preparing Successful Proposals”